Vehicle alarm



A. V. LOCKE VEHICLE ALARM Sept. 18, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet .1

Filed Feb. 2, 1926 "azaera in z 4 h Sept. 13, 1928. 1,684,591

A. v. LOCKE VEHICLE ALARM Filed Feb. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 m4 76 My.

Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES OFF I C E.

VEHICLE ALARM.

' Application filed February 2, 1926; SeriaLNo. 8 5,593.-

This invention relates to an alarm, and more particularly to an audible alarm for use in connection with motor driven vehicles.

The. primary object of the invention is.

to provide means to cause an audible alarm to sound when an unauthorized person at tempts to move a vehicle from the position or location in which it was left by the owner or authorized operator.

' Itis also an object of the invention to produce an; inexpensive alarmof simple structure which may be applied to existing' as well as new vehicles at but slight cost and expenditure of time, and without theservi-ces of a skilled mechanic.-

It is a further object of the invention to produce an alarm which will .be released foroperation by mechanism which must be operated before the vehicle can be moved either by its own power or by towing.

Another object of the invention is to produce an alarm of the above class which is arranged to be norm-ally inoperative but P which may be instantly, and without particular care or attention set to operate, andwhen once so set may not be returned to its inoperative position, except by those acquainted with the particular alarm, without causing itto sound its warning.

A still further object of the invention is to soarrange the. alarm setting mechanism that the control for setting it for its noperative position may be shifted or changed at will so that the numeral or character which aids in indicating that the alarm is in that position may be changed as often as desired, and to difi'er from other vehicles likewise equipped with the alarm.

Other objects of the invention will be 'fully understood from a description-of the drawings and the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings. i

Figure 1 represents avertical longitudinal section through a sufficient portion'of a vehicle to enable the invention to be understood.

Figure 2is a view of a portion of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow A. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail to be re ferred'to, r

Figure 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section taken on approximately the line 4-4 Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a: section on the line 5-5 Figure {L Figure 6- is an underside view of a portlon of the alarm mechanism shown in Fig ure 4, the gong or hell portion being res moved.

Figure 7 is a detail of a portion of the alarm setting mechanism.

Figure 8 is a detail of the gong ham-merlocking device.

Like characters represent like partsthroughout the several figures of the drawlngs.

The drawings herewith illustrate one of the various ways in which the invention mi ht be applied to a vehicle, but it will be un erstood that it is not the intention to limit it to the precise construction and arrangement shown as changes might be made therein without departing from its spirit and scope.

In the present instance the alarm 10 is preferably secured to the underside of the foot board 11 and comprises a base plate 12 having the ribs 13 and- 14' extending therefrom to which a plate 15 is suitably secured.

The said plate 15 serves to carry the gong or hell 16 and the actuating. mechanism therefor, the said gong being of the well known mechanical pushtype, and comprise ing a bottom cover portion 17, and a gong or bell portion 16 which serves as a cover for the usual spring 19, gears 20' and 21, esca-pement 22 and hammer 23, and which also serves as a means to wind the said spring 19 as is usual and well known in bells of this, type.

The escapement 22, actuated by the 'ratchetwheel 24, has an arm 25 secured thereto at the end of which is the hammer 23.

A flat spring member 26 having one end 27 fast to the bottom cover 17 has at its free end an extension 28 which is-provided with a rounded or cam shape portion. 29 arranged to engage the arm 25' of. the hammer 23 and through it, normally hold the said eswhich is at times i being normally under the control of a strong spring 35 which tends .to rock said fever in the direction of the arrow B, see Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The plates '12 and 15 are provided with suitable bearings 36 and 37 respectively for the shaft 38 of a disk or abutment-inember 39, the said shaft protruding through the foot board ligand having a dial 40 secured thereto in such manner as to be shifted about the shaft so that" the'numeral or character thereon which registers with'the stationary indicator 41 on the foot board 11 when the alarm is setin inoperative posh tion may be changed at will.

The base of the bracket 30 extends to-' ward the right, and is somewhat thinner to receive the disk or portion thereof, be-

forthe guidance ofthe pin 34 which is normally forced against a blank spot'on said disk when the alarmis set in inoperative osition. I i

The disk 39 is preferably provided with a plurality of holes 43 located adjacent its perimeter, the said holes being closely arranged and' preferably counter sunk' so-that the'pin 34 underthe action of the spring 35 will enterone or another of them even though the pin and a hole do not exactly register; T a

The series of holes 43 around the edge of the disk 39 is interrupted by a blank spot 44 against which the pin 34 is forced when the alarm is set for inoperative position, holding the said disk from movement by the combined action of the strong spring 35 and the frictional contact afforded. be-

tween the disk 39 and the extension of the registers therewith, whereupon the said dial will be firmly secured to the shaft 38 by a set screw 45 or in anylsuitable manner.

In'or'der to turn the disk 39 so that the blank 44 will be removed from the path of the pin 34, and a hole 43 substitutedtherefor to set the device for operation, it is necessary to relieve the pressure of the pin 34 from the said disk;

The alarm is not intended to be set for operation exceptingwhen the vehicle has been brought to a stop at which time it is usual and often times compulsory to apply the emergency brake to retain the vehicle in stopped position. V

In view of this fact the emergency brake lever conveniently lends itself to a successful application of the invention in a simple 7 are such that they mustbe operated prior to moving the vehicle.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown one form of emergency brake lever pivoted at 51 to a housin not shown,

and hav ng a link 52 preferably pivotally.

rivctedto one end of a bell crank 53 which 7 During the ordinary running of the "vie-" hicle or at such'times as the emergency brakeis not put to use, the lever 50 and connections therefrom to the lever 32 will occupy approximately the positions shown in Figures 1, 4nd 5 of the drawings.

WVhen the vehiclehas come to a stop 'and the emergency brake is applied the lever 50 will be pulled in the direction of the arrow has likewise secured at its other end a link i C, Figure 1 of the drawings, causing the bell crank 53, through the link 52, to be rocked and pull the link 54 to the left, see Figures 1, and 3 to 5 inclusive, so that at the last portion of the movement of the lever 50 the end of the elongated slot 55 will be brought into contact with the hook 33, and but slight further movement of the, said lever 50 will cause the lever 32 to be rocked against the action of the spring 35 sufliciently to relieve the pressure of the pin 34 against the blank 44 of the disk 39.

it-h theemergency brake "thus applied,

and the restraining pressure released from the disk 39, the dial 40 may now be turned in one direction or the other any number of degrees less than 360, or a sufficient distance to remove the blank 44 from beneath the pin 34, and the device will be set for operalever has been locked'in its applied position by the usuallocking means, a portion of which is indicated at 56 in Figure 1 of'the drawings. i i i "At thistime one of the holes 43 will be inregistcr with the pin 34, and in the eventv contact with a pin 57 fast with the flats spring 26'and flex the said spring to such extentthat the cam shaped end .29 of the spring-projection 28 will pass by the arm 25 and thereby permit the escapementf through the action of the ratchet 24 and spring 19' to vibrate the hammer 23 and sound the alarm.

If, however, the owner or authorized op erator of the vehicle Wishes to move it, he will first turn the dial, and consequently thedisk 89, until the number or character pre* viously chosen registers with the indicator 41 on the foot board 11 at which time the blank 44 will have arrived beneath the pin 34 and an attempt at that time to release the lever will merely cause the pin 34 to impinge against the disk 39 and lock it in that position but will not cause the alarm to be sounded.

Itwill be understood that in practice the exposed parts of the device will be so made as not to be easily removed or disconnected and to this end it is preferred to enclose the ong and its actuating mechanism in a-stout box or cover which is normally locked by one means or another in the position shown in Figure 1 ot the drawings, but may be unlocked and swung on a hinge 61 when it becomes necessary to wind the alarm or to make adjustments or repairs to the mechanism of the alarm.

Having described the invention I claim:

1. An alarm for vehicles comprising a mechanically operated bell; a brake lever; means including a spring pressed lever and a pin pivotally arranged thereon to release said bell at certain times; a detent for nor-- mally holding said bell inoperative, said rlctent member being arranged to be actuated by said pin when said bell is to be rung; a movable member interposed between said first member and said pin and arranged to separate or permit contact between said first member and said pin to prevent or permit the operation oi said bell; and means in= terposed between said lever and said first means whereby a movement of said lever, will cause the operation of said bell when said movable member is in position to permit contact of said pin and said detent.

2. An alarm for vehicles comprising a mechanically operated bell; an emergency brake lever; a normally spring controlled rocking lever; a pin carried by said lever; a bell hammer; means to normally look said hammer against operation; a disk having a blank spot and a plurality of perforations each side thereof arranged to be alternately positioned beneath said pin; a pin inter,- posed between said first pin and said hammer locking means, and arranged to be operated byv said first pin when one of said perforations is positioned beneath said first pin to unlock said hammer upon a movement of said brake lever; and means including a slot-ted link interposed between said brake lever and said rocking lever whereby said brake lever may be operated regardless of the position of said rocking lever, and whereby said rocking lever may be actuated at brake lover; a bell; a vibrating hammer torsaid bell; means to prevent the vibration of said hammer, said means including a spring detent; a spring pressed lever; a pin carried by said lever; and cooperating withsaid detent; a disk having a plurality of perforations circularly arranged adjacent the perimeter thereof and a solid portion separating certain of said perforations said disk being pivotally, arranged to revolve in its own plane; means to revolve said disk; said perforations and said solid portion of said disk being arranged to be alternately interposed between said pin and said detent; and a loose connection between said brake lever and said spring pressed lever whereby said brake lever may be moved in brake unsett ing direction relatively to said spring pressed lever when the latter is restrained by said disk, and whereby said springpressed lever is movable at times with said brake lever to efi'ectthe operation of the bell mechanism when said lever is moved in brake-unsetting direction and said spring-pressed lever is not restrained by said disk.

1-. The combination with the brake lever o1 a vehicle, of a bell mechanism; a bellcontrolling member that is held against movement in a direction to efl'ect the operation of said bell mechanism by said brake lever when the latter is in brake-setting position; a springindependentof said bell mechanism for securing said member with said brake lever to effect the operation ol said bell mechanism when the brake lever is shifted toward brake-unsetting position, and means adjustable so as to lock said bellcontrolling member against movement with said brake lever when the latter is moved to ward brake-unsetting position and also adjustable so as, to permit movement of said bell-controlling member by said spring with said brake lever to effect the operation of the bell mechanism when said brake lever is moved toward brake-.unsetting position.

5. Th combination with the brake lever of a vehicle, oi a bell mechanism; a bell-controlling member that is'held against move ment in adirection to effect the operation of i said bell mechanism by said brake lever when the latter is in brake-setting position and is yieldingly urged in said direction independently of said bell mechanism and lever when said brake lever is shifted toward brake-unsetting position; means adjustable so as to lock said bell-controlling member against movement with'said brake-lever in said direction when the latter is moved toward brake-unsetting position and also adjustable so as to permit movement of sa d bell-c011 trolling member with said brake lever to effeet the operation of the bell mechanism when the brake lever is moved toward brakeunsetting position, said means comprising a 5 aotatably adjustable abutment co-operating with said bell-controlling member; a shaft carrying said abutment; a dial on said shaft accessible to the driver of the vehicle and carrying a scale, and; a stationary index cooperating with the scale on the dial. i

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 1st day of February, 1926.

ALBERT V.VLO CKE.V 

